The Pros and Cons of Loving Your Best Friend
by ilyDE13
Summary: Elena, 24 years old and works at a fashion label. Damon, 26 years old and cooks in his free time, being too rich to not need a job. They're best friends that do everything together and guess what? She's in love with him and he doesn't know it. Plot twist: He's in love with her and she doesn't know it either. AU/AH. M for later chapters.
1. Happy Birthday Damon

I walked out of the shower Monday morning ready for work. Today was a special day. Not only was it the first day I started the new job I got at a fashion label, owned by close friend named Caroline, but it was also Damon's birthday.

Oh, Damon. After 26 years of knowing that arrogant, cocky bastard with the smug grin and the beautiful baby blue eyes, he has turned out to be my best friend, my partner in crime, and my night in shining armor. Yes, I am completely and utterly in love with him and no, he doesn't know it.

Damon and I practically met in the sandbox. Our parents would always hang out at each others houses and every time, he and I would, being 4, run off into the backyard and do god knows what until our parents found us. We went through school together, we went to dances together, we ate meals together, we did _everything _together. If you were to ask me about a specific moment I had a memory that was my favorite, I would probably name them all. Like that one time, I was 15 and he was 17, it was our last day of summer before the school year started...

_"__What do you think you're doing?!" I screeched at him. He was taking of his shirt to reveal his glorious abs. And yes, at 17, Damon had glorious abs, along with his broad shoulders and his amazing smile and his deep ocean blue eyes. Getting back on point. I know its fun jumping off of cliffs and all but it's seriously dangerous._

_"__What do you mean, 'what am I doing?'" he asked with faux innocence, "It's only twenty feet into the water Elena. What's the big deal?"_

_I was probably pulling the mom card on him now. "I thought we were walking down and I don't want you getting hurt is all. It's kind of a long way down if you think about it. Isn't the water shallow right here anyway?" _

_"__It's not shallow, trust me. I've done this many times before. Now get your skinny ass over here and jump with me before I throw you over my shoulder and make you jump with me."_

_I slowly walked to the spot next to him and paused. I am such a prude. I was already wearing my bathing suit anyway since I knew we were gonna come up here. This day has been planned for a long time. Every last day of summer it's just him and me and our day at the falls. Steadily, I took my shirt off and next my shorts and I was left standing in my bikini. I looked up at Damon only to find that he was already watching me. I quickly looked away and he smiled. "I don't think I want to do this. You know I'm afraid of heights," I said fearfully while starting to back up._

_"__Oh no you don't!" he practically sprinted back to where I was and literally threw me over his shoulder._

_"__Damon put me down!" I screamed at him, " I told you I don't want to go!"_

_"__Trust me Lena, you're gonna want to do this again after you go the first time," he said reassuringly._

_I finally gave up. I knew, once Damon's mind is set on something, no matter what it is, you won't change it._

_He stopped at the edge of the rock and counted back from 3... 2... 1..._

_We were falling and I knew I screamed the whole way down. I was pretty sure I blew Damon's ear drum out. I emerged from the water to see Damon's smug grin on his gorgeous face. "You know I hate you now. I can't believe you just did that to me!" I sputtered and playfully slapped his naked chest._

_"__You know you still love me," he said cockily and boy he could not be more right._

_We swam around for a bit and then eventually tried to make our way out of the swimming hole. Getting to shallow enough water, we were walking to rest of the way when I felt something touch my foot._

_"__Ahhh!" I screamed and practically jumped Damon. I was hugging him completely with my legs wrapped around his waist and my arms around his neck holding him as close as possible while trying to get far enough out of the water. I looked around in the water to try to see anything what I heard Damon chuckling. I slowly turned my head to look at him and when I did our lips were centimeters apart. I looked into his eyes and all of a sudden the world stopped. They were so incredibly blue. We just stared at each other for god knows how long._

_"__Something touched my leg," I said nervously. He just kept staring at me. No noises were heard and no movements were made._

_"__I'm sure it was just a fish Lena," he said coyly. I slowly slid down his body feeling every contour and line of his beautifully sculpted chest and then when my feet hit the floor everything was back to the way it was 10 minutes ago. No staring. No touching._

_"__We should probably head back up," I said quickly and got out the water as fast as possible practically leaving a startled Damon behind._

I was shaken from my thoughts when there was knock on my front door. I quickly looked at my clock on my night stand. 7:42 am. _Crap!_ I was thinking about Damon for 20 minutes! I'm so going to be late for work. Realizing that there is still someone at my front door, I quickly walked through the halls of my apartment knowing who it was. Opening the door, I found a pair of cerulean blue eyes staring at my half naked body. Leaving the door open and running back to my room, I yelled, "I'll be ready in a minute!"

Starting your first day at a fashion label can be tough in trying to find something to wear. Luckily last night I had already picked something out. Black, tight skinny jeans with a loose, flowy white blouse and a black blazer with some cute jewelry and light red heels topped off with a black purse.

After quickly putting on my outfit and applying light makeup and blowdrying my hair to let if fall in natural, loose waves. I threw all of my necessities in my purse like my phone and wallet and keys and walked down the stairs.

Damon was making coffee and knowing I moved fast enough to have a couple before I needed to leave, I ran up to him and gave him a big hug from behind while tucking my face into his back. I inhaled his scent and hot damn, he smelled good. It was clearly Old Spice shampoo and I knew because I am usually the one that shops for him knowing that he has no time for anything other than cooking, women, being the sexiest man on Earth, and... me. And I'm not just saying that. He actually told me that he only has time for those things. I know I should constantly be freaking out about the women part but Damon is Damon and I have just learned to accept it no matter how much it hurts me.

He turns around in my arms and gives me a proper hug. God I missed this. I know it's only been like a day since I last saw him but i just love hugging him. It feels right to be in his arms. Of course I would say that considering that fact that I love Damon. He gives me one last squeeze before he pulls away and I give him a quick kiss on his cheek.

I look into his eyes and say, "Happy birthday Damon."


	2. The Gift

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything from The Vampire Diaries or anything from L.J. Smith. I am simply using the characters for my own amusement.**

**AN: Hi guys. I've had this account for a really long time but I kept telling myself that I am a really sucky writer so I've never done a story before. I know the last one was kinda short and this one is definitely longer but I really hoped you guys thought it was okay. I don't know how long this story is going to be but I do like long fics so it'll be at least 15 chapters. I know I rated it M but that will be way later and I don't really have the courage right now to write any smut because I've never done it before. Please please please let me know that you guys think. :)**

Ch2

The Gift

I look into his eyes and say, "Happy birthday Damon."

He gave me a small smile and was about to say something before I interrupted him. "I know you don't like your birthday because it reminds you of your mom and I know you don't like gifts anyway but when I saw the first part I totally laughed and thought of you and I know you're going to love it...mostly because it's from me and the second part well, you're just gonna be really happy."

Before he could say anything, I walked to the coat closet and pulled out a neatly wrapped gift the size of a shoe box. I handed the present to him and slowly, he took it from me with a slight scowl on his face.

Looking back at me I gave him a slight nod and he started to unwrap the gift. There was quirk on the corner of his lips as he pulled the grey John Varvatos v-neck out of the box.

I giggled just after I saw his confused expression. "It's your gag gift. I know you could always use an extra t-shirt seeing that you have so many," I said sarcastically. He finally got the gist of it and chuckled along with me.

God I could never get used to that laugh. It was deep and husky and sexy. It was just so...Damon.

"Your real gift is under the shirt," I stated matter-of-factly.

He dug around a little to find what was under the extra tissue paper and I waited as he slowly pulled out a pair of keys. Now I could tell he was really confused. He looked up at me and I gave him a big smile as I took his hand and quietly led him to the garage. It was so nice holding his hand. I don't know how to explain it, they just...fit.

Looking at the clock, I have about three minutes to be in the car and driving to work. Just enough time. I turned on the light and there was his '69 Chevrolet Camero fully restored and repainted to its original baby blue color. He was stunned.

"Okay now we have two minutes to be in that car and driving to work. You have that much time to express how much you love me," I said cheekily.

I couldn't even blink he was that fast in giving me the biggest hug on the planet. We were probably there for longer than we should have been but I didn't want to move. Anytime we hugged I never wanted to move. I had always just felt so safe in his arms.

_"__That was so fun," I said tiredly from the passenger seat._

_"__I know. You always have fun when I'm around," he said with his signature smirk._

_"__Ugh...you're so cocky," I said as I lightly slapped his arm._

_"__I know," he said still sporting that smirk._

_"__Hey even if I did ditch the Lockwood party without you I would've still had fun," I slurred out._

_He could tell I was really tired so he just let me sleep the rest of the way home. I faintly felt him lift me up out of the car and carried me to my bedroom. I never minded when he carried me like that. I just always felt so safe in his arms. He gently laid me down on my bed and removed my shoes and I felt everything. Once he was done with my socks, he tucked me in, sat next to me on the bed and was caressing my face soothingly with his hand._

_"__Lena?" he said quietly._

_"__Lena?"_

"Elena?" Damon said shaking me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah?" I said and looked up at him.

"Thank you," he stated simply. We both knew there was no need to go into this long speech about how it means so much to him and how he has been waiting for the car to be restored for god knows how long. If he said thank you and meant, which he did, that was all I needed. We just understood each other like that.

"You're welcome," I smiled then turned serious, "now let's go before I'm late for work."

He gave a brief laugh and literally escorted me to my side of the car and shut my door after I got in. Once he put the key in the ignition and turned, there was a loud noise signaling the car turned on and he grinned. He pulled out of the garage and onto the street while I waited.

"Are you gonna make your usual crude comment now because I already know what your gonna say," I scolded him. He looked at me curiously and then grinned more.

"And what would the be?" he asked.

"Well it would definitely be along the lines of 'oh baby I love it when you purr' or something that has to do with the noise the car is making. Am I right or am I right?" I said trying my best Damon-interpretation and trying my best not to laugh.

He was full on laughing now. After he settled, we fell into a comfortable silence. He stared at the road as I stared at him.

I was totally spacing out and heading into my own little world with just him and me...again. We were rolling around in bed and kissing the hell out of each other. He was expressing his undying love for me and I was completely beaming. He was calling my name and I couldn't figure out why...

"Elena?" Damon said and I was back in the car still staring at my gloriously handsome best friend. He must've known I was staring at him for a while now because he had one of the biggest smirks I had ever seen plastered onto his face. I blushed and quickly looked out the window.

"I get it," he said. Get what? "I'm totally attractive."

"Dear god not this again," I giggled, "you tell me this just about every single day. Get you head out of your ass."

"Well I wouldn't tell you if you stopped staring at me all the time," he grinned cockily, "Tell me, you think I'm hot."

"You're insatiable," I sigh.

"C'mon tell me."

"Ugh fine. You're not the most unattractive person in the world."

"Thank you."

It was a couple more minutes in the car before we finally pulled up to the fashion label's studio. I turned to him ad gave him another big hug. He pulled back slightly and whispered into my ear, "Thank _you_. I'll wear the shirt and I'll stop driving this car when it isn't drivable anymore."

I couldn't help it. His hot breath on my skin made a shudder rip through my body and I'm sure he felt it just as much as I did. I pulled back to look into his deep ocean blue eyes and said, "You're most definitely welcome Mr. Salvatore. And don't strain this car too much. She may be fixed but you never know how long she'll last."

"Alright then."

I got up and out of the car before turning back. He rolled down the window. "Hey remember. We have plans tonight."

"How could I forget?" he scoffed then smiled.

"Pick me up at 7 tonight and wear something nice," I reprimanded him.

He groaned and said okay before pulling out of the parking lot. I walked up and through the door with a minute to spare.

Knowing that it's a studio, I set my stuff in the front office and asked one of the assistants where Caroline was. They directed me to the back of the building to find another office that was completely furnished with a couch, a glass desktop, a bookcase filled with fashion magazines, a few mannequins and many, many sketch books. On the desk was a laptop, a stapler, some sketches and a whole lot of colored pencils and behind the desk was a fuming Caroline that was on the phone with probably one of the many boutiques in this town trying to snag some spoilers on the new line.

Geez, this is gonna be a long day. I just hope Damon's birthday night will be so good that it'll make me forget the day, and it hasn't even started yet.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Hey guys. I know, I know... It's been what? Two, three weeks? I'm sorry. I just finished school and finals and swim practice is over until the 6th. Well, here's chapter three. I hope I did okay. By the amount of follows and likes I'd say I'm doing all right with this. Please let me know if you want me to include anything and I'll definitely be including Damon's point of view in this chapter. Now, enough with my jibber jabber. On with the story._**

EPOV

My first shift slowly came to and end when the clock finally hit 5:00. Man, Caroline is intense. I mean I already know this but after my run in with her this morning, I was really scared to go on with the day. I just wanted to curl up in the corner and hide but after she got off the phone, she was as amazing with working with all the fabric and the calls. She showed my how to work the computer for sales and had me assist for measurements. She even had me model a few things which was really fun. I'm just happy my first day is over and now I can get home and then see Damon.

_Crap!_ I forgot he gave me ride to work this morning. Now I have to call him to come and pick me up when I'm all gross and sweaty. Ugh...might as well get it over with. I pulled my phone out of my bag and quickly dialed the number that I know so well it could be the back of my hand.

After a few short rings, I heard his deep, soothing voice on the other side.

"Hi," I said, "I need to you come pick me up from work."

"I suppose I could make time for you," he said. I could practically see his grin.

"Thank you Damon."

"Yeah yeah. I'll be there in five minutes."

I quickly threw my phone back in my bag and gathered my things before walking out to the front of the building where Damon was already waiting in his car. I hopped into the front seat and quickly shut the door.

"Okay so take me home then come back in an hour to pick me up," I ordered.

"Are you sure you only need an hour? I know how long you girls take to get ready."

"Yes, I'm sure Damon," I tell him. He gave me a big toothy grin as we pulled up in front of my house. "See you in a bit."

I got out of the car and hurriedly went inside to go shower. I felt really good to feel all the grime wash off of my body from my day at work. I scrubbed, shaved, washed and rinsed before walked into my closet in only a bra and panties trying to find something to wear. It was Damon's birthday so it had to be special. Plus, I wanted to dress up. After getting a few fashion tips from Caroline today, I've gained some confidence about myself and what I wear. I searched through my closet top to bottom and it's official. I have nothing to wear.

Putting my outfit off until I really need to get ready, I started doing my make-up. It was light enough to be natural but dark enough to be sexy. I finished off my hair with loose, wavy curls.

6:48 and I still haven't found anything to wear. God, he's gonna be here any minute. What am I going to do?

DPOV

I pulled up in front of Elena's place at 6:55 and parked the car. I got out and used my key to her apartment to open the door. I slowly crept up the stairs to see Elena's bedroom door ajar. There was just a couple inches of space between the door and the wall.

As I step closer, I see Elena standing in her underwear picking clothes up from her bed, holding them up to her body, and throwing them to the floor.

God she had the most perfect body I had ever seen. He long legs seemed to go for forever and those gorgeous tanned legs led up to her smooth, flat stomach and that led up to her perky, round breasts that led up to her amazingly gorgeous face.

Saying that Elena was attractive could've been the understatement of the century. She was beautiful and of course I would say that. I'm completely in love with her...and she doesn't know it.

I'm slowly coming out of my trance with Elena's body and walk towards her door. I quietly knock on it and can tell I freaked her out coming from the thud and grunt I heard probably from her hitting her toe on the corner of her dresser.

"Damon! Don't come in!" she yelled, "I'm not dressed."

I chuckled. Well, no shit. I just ogled the crap out of you while you weren't looking. "I'll wait in the kitchen."

I walked down the stairs still thinking about her in her underwear. It reminds me of that time I accidentally walked in on her taking a bath during senior year.

_"'__Lena?" I yelled throughout the cabin. She was nowhere to be seen. Caroline and Klaus were on the pier screwing around. It was our last day here for spring break before we needed to get back to school._

_I walked through the halls of the lake house and stopped and the pictures of me and her lining the wall of the staircase. There was one from night I was promoted from eighth grade. She was going into seventh grade and I was going into high school. I think that was the time I finally started to like her as more than my best friend._

_As I ascended the stairs I heard footsteps coming from Elena's bedroom. I slowly walked in and called her name. It didn't take me any time at all to find her. Although she was all alone in her naked glory, sitting in the bath tub. Water was filled to the brim and the bubbles just about covered the entire surface. God she looked so gorgeous sitting there. I just want to run over there and ravish her._

_"__Damon!" she screamed, snapping me out of my thoughts, "What are you doing?! Get out!_

_"__Oh uh-sorry Len," I murmured. I quickly walked out and shut the bathroom door behind me. I sat down on the bed as I heard some shuffling behind the door. It opened to Elena wrapped up in a red, fluffy towel and jesus, was it hot in here? She walked past me and grabbed some clothes from the dresser and walked back into the bathroom, closing the door behind her._

_It was enough to see her in the tub but now, seeing her in only a towel that barely covered her, made my jeans really tight and uncomfortable. Not even a minute later, the door opens again and she gives me a pointed look._

_"__What?" I ask innocently._

_"__Damon," she scolds me, "You couldn't have waited for me to finish my bath?"_

_"__Sorry," I apologized, "I just wanted to let you know that we were gonna get going pretty soon."_

_"__Oh."_

_"__Yeah," I said awkwardly. I quickly nodded and booked it out of the room. I couldn't take it anymore. She was driving me crazy._

"Damon?" Elena said, pulling me from my thoughts. I was standing back in the kitchen and Elena staring at me with her big, brown doe eyes that made me melt.

EPOV

"Damon! Don't come in!" I yelled, "I'm not dressed." God, I can't believe this is happening. He probably just saw me half naked throwing clothes on the floor. This night is turning out to be a disaster. I finally find a fire red, knee-length cocktail dress that fits tightly around my waist and just barely pushes up my breasts, showing a small amount of cleavage. I put on my only pair of expensive back heels right after I heard him say that he'll be waiting in the kitchen.

I walked downstairs to find Damon standing in the middle of the kitchen lost in his own little world.

"Damon?" I say, shaking him out of his thoughts. I see him physically shake his head and turn around. His gaze blazes over me from head to toe and I can't help but blush. He is totally checking me out. _Oh my god. He's checking me out._ I blush even more and now his eyes are back on my face and he's got his usual ever-present smirk plastered onto his gorgeous face.

"Len you look...um...pretty," he said and gave me a lopsided smile. _Pretty? After all that hard work and staring, all I get is pretty?_

"Thanks. You look mighty fine as well Mr. Salvatore if I say so myself." And he did. He always looked _mighty fine_. He was the proper image for a bad-boy. Leather jacket, biker boots. I think that grey shirt might even be the one I gave him this morning.

"Well, thank you miss Gilbert," he said before extending his arm for me to take. We walked out the car and I fiddled with the radio as Damon started the car. We pulled our hands back onto the center console at the same time and our hands brushed against each other. There was an electric surge that ran through my body. I looked up at Damon and blushed, seeing that he was already staring at me.

Tonight is going to be a long one.

**_Drop a review. I really appreciate it. :)_**


	4. Chapter 4

**_I know it's been a while but here I am with a new chapter. I've been racked with water polo and my driving class. So now we're gonna go over Damon's birthday night. Have fun and read on..._**

DPOV

It only took us about 10 minutes to get to the fancy restaurant we go to every year for our birthdays. I was still going over in my head what I said to Elena earlier. _Pretty? Really Damon?_ She wasn't just pretty, she was amazingly gorgeous. She walked downstairs and I was speechless. Her tight, red dress hugged all of her curves perfectly. It was like a second skin. God, I was getting a hard on just thinking about it.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the passenger door close. Elena was already out of the car and standing on the sidewalk. She was staring at me expectantly through the windshield and I finally realized that I needed to get out of the car.

We walked inside and I told Elena to sit and wait for me to get our reserved table. I walked up to the man behind the podium and said, "The name's Salvatore."

He barely glanced down at the logbook and then back up at me. "I'm sorry, sir. There's no Salvatore for a reservation."

This guy was a dick. "Check again."

He didn't even look down this time and said, "Sir the wait for walk-ins is about an hour and a half."

I was about to start an argument when Elena walked up behind me and tugged on my arm. She whispered into my ear, What's taking so long?" If that didn't send chills down my spine then I don't know what would.

"This guy is being a douche. He says we don't have a reservation."

"Let me handle this," she said and pushed me back behind her while subtly fluffing up her hair and pushing up her breasts.

"Excuse me, sir. I believe there's been a misunderstanding. I made a reservation for tonight at 7:30 and my name should be on the list," she said sweetly. I've known that voice long enough to know that it was anything but sweet.

The guy smiled and briefly looked at her chest. God, who does this guy think he is? "Yes, sorry miss. Salvatore, right?" he said and slowly looked down the list, "Ah, here it is. I guess I missed it."

Whatever dickwad.

He quickly led us to our table in the back and tried to make small talk with my girl. Being Elena, she was always polite. We sat down and ordered drinks. I decided to just get water for now and order my three drinks tonight when we get to the club. Even though it's my birthday, I'm still driving.

"God, could that guy be any less creepy?" Elena said. That made me laugh.

"Well, you're the one that pushed up her boobs to get our table. I would've just said to oder appetizers and drinks at the club."

"Hey, it's tradition. We come here every year for our birthdays no matter what. You know the drill."

"Yeah, okay."

The guy came back not much later and we gave him our food order before I quickly dismissed him. We made small talk and ate our delicious dinner. I paid for the bill and we got out of there before the guy came back to ogle Elena more.

I hated when people looked at her. I mean, yeah, she's got a body and she's obviously attractive but I just can't get over that fact that guys stare at the love of my life. Call me jealous but I don't care when it comes to her.

We made it to the only club within an hour radius of Mystic Falls in forty minutes due to my love for speed in this beauty of a car. I still can't believe Elena got it restored for me. I just kept putting it off and putting it off but now, I can actually drive it and I'm so happy for it.

The rest of the night went great. We danced and had our drinks and I was so happy. Elena was completely wasted and I just about had to carry her to the car.

We got back to Elena's place safely and she stumbled out of the car. I quickly got to her side and picked her up before hearing her mumble something about her knight in shining armor. Slowly creeping up to her porch, I set her down between me and the wall so she wouldn't fall down as I pulled out my keys. I was to distracted from various parts of her body touching mine. I looked up into her eyes and just stared at her for the longest time.

They were darker tonight. Darker like the darkest of chocolates maybe mixed with a little bit of caramel. They were beautiful. I felt myself slowly leaning in and just as my nose touched hers, she broke out into a fit of giggles. Said giggles shook some sense into me.

She was wasted. I couldn't kiss her. What was I thinking? I was so shaken I fumbled with my keys and helped her inside without looking at her again. I helped her up the stairs and once we got into her bedroom, she pulled her dress over her head and collapsed onto the bed.

"Jeez, Len. What are you doing?" I said after looking away to give her some privacy. In response, I heard lots on mumbling and the covers being pulled back. "Wait."

She froze. She was already laying on the bed in her bra and underwear, the same matching set I saw earlier today. I walked further into the room and sat down next to her feet. I slowly laid my hands on her ankles and ran them down her feet, pulling off her heels.

Once they were on the floor, there was more ruffling of the covers and then silence. I scooted up the bed and sat closer to her. I stroked her hair, kissed her forehead and just before I stood up, she reached out and grabbed my hand.

"Happy birthday, Damon," she said tiredly with her eyes still closed, "I love you."

_What?_

**_I know they're kinda short but I just can't write as much for this one. Drop a review if you'd like. :)_**


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